Traffic signs

Abstract

An emergency warning traffic sign comprises a conventional stop sign which has been divided vertically in the middle into two sheet portions carrying portions of the message on one face of each of the sheet portions. The sheet portions are connected by a hinge such that a first of the portions may be mounted to a traffic signal post and the second sheet portion may be rotated between a first position in which the message is obscured to a second open message position. A locking bar is attached to the first sheet portion and is pivotally movable across the back of the sign and within its perimeter to lock the sign in both its open and closed positions. In a second embodiment of the invention, another sign carrying a different message is also divided vertically into a third and forth sheet portions and these sheet portions are hingedly connected to each other. The third sheet portion is stationarily mounted to the back of the second sheet portion such that the second sign with its message may be displayed when the first sign is folded and vice versa.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sign comprising first and second substantially flat sheet means, each said sheet means having a portion of a message on one face thereof and which together contain an entire message,   hinge means coupling said first and second sheet means together such that said one face of said first sheet means may be positioned in a first position in overlying relation to said one face of said second sheet means to cover all said portions of said message thereon, and to a second position in which said one faces are in planar side by side relationship to together display the entire message, and   locking means mounted to one of said sheet means for pivoting thereon and movable across the other face of at least one of said sheet means and substantially entirely within the perimeter of both said sheet means between one location for locking both said sheet means in said first position and another location for locking both said sheet means in said second position.   
     
     
       2. The sign of claim 1 wherein said hinge means couples an edge of said first sheet means to an edge of said second sheet means. 
     
     
       3. The sign of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises rigid elongate bar means. 
     
     
       4. The sign of claim 3 wherein said bar means is pivotally attached to said one of said sheet means at one end and includes a hole at the other end, each of said sheet means also including a hole therein, the hole in said bar means being alignable with both of said holes in said sheet means when in said one location and with the hole in the other of said sheet means when in said another location. 
     
     
       5. The sign of claim 4 including padlock means extending through the hole in said bar means and the hole in the sheet means with which the first mentioned hole is aligned. 
     
     
       6. The sign of claim 1 including mounting means for stationarily mounting said first sheet means to a support and such that said second sheet means is mounted by said hinge means for movement between said first and second positions relative to said first sheet means. 
     
     
       7. The sign of claim 6 wherein said locking means comprises rigid elongate bar means. 
     
     
       8. The sign of claim 7 wherein said bar means is pivotally attached to said first sheet means at one end and includes a hole at the other end, each of said sheet means also including a hole therein, the hole in said bar means being alignable with both of said holes in said sheet means when in said one location and with the hole in said second sheet means when in said another location. 
     
     
       9. The sign of claim 8 including padlock means extending through the hole in said bar means and the hole in the sheet portions with which the first mentioned hole is aligned. 
     
     
       10. The sign of claim 1 wherein said sign is an octagonal stop traffic sign when said sheet means are in said second position. 
     
     
       11. The sign of claim 1 including third and fourth sheet means, each of said third and fourth sheet means having a portion of a message on one face thereof and which together contain an entire message different than the first mentioned entire message, second hinge means coupling said third and fourth sheet means together such that said one face of said fourth sheet means may be positioned in a third position in overlying relation to said one face of said third sheet means to cover all said portions of said second mentioned message thereon, and to a fourth position in which said one faces of said third and fourth sheet means are in planar side by side relationship to together display the entire second message,   said locking means being pivotally movable between one location for locking said sheet means such that said second mentioned entire message is displayed and said first mentioned entire message is not and another location in which said first mentioned entire message is displayed and said second mentioned entire message is not.   
     
     
       12. The sign of claim 11 in which the faces of said second and third sheet means opposite their said one faces are attached together in face to face relationship. 
     
     
       13. The sign of claim 11 wherein said locking means comprises rigid elongate bar means. 
     
     
       14. The sign of claim 13 wherein said bar means is pivotally attached to said first of said sheet means at one end and includes a hole at the other end, said second and fourth sheet means also including a hole therein, the hole in said bar means being alignable with the hole in said fourth sheet means when in said one location and with the hole in said second sheet means when in said another location. 
     
     
       15. The sign of claim 14 including padlock means extending through the hole in said bar means and the hole in the sheet portions with which the first mentioned hole is aligned. 
     
     
       16. The sign of claim 11 including mounting means for stationarily mounting said first sheet means to a support and such that said second sheet means is mounted by said first mentioned hinge means for movement between said first and second positions relative to said first sheet means and said fourth sheet means is mounted by said second hinge means for movement between said third and fourth positions relative to said third sheet means.